Press Releases

September10,2003

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is pleased to announce today a recent law enforcement grant for the Nisqually Indian Tribe. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced a grant to the Nisqually Indian Tribe of $495,187 to cover the salary, benefits and training of new community policing officers and also includes funds for basic equipment and crime fighting technology systems.

“This grant is good news for the members of the Nisqually Indian Tribe,” Smith said. “Since 1975, COPS has provided more than $270 million to Native-American law enforcement agencies to purchase equipment, receive training and hire 1,813 officers. I am pleased that the people of Washington State are the recipients of some of this funding and that it will enable the Nisqually Indian tribe to enhance the safety of their community.”

September8,2003

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is pleased to announce today two recent law enforcement grants for Pierce County. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced a grant to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department of $375,000 to cover the salary and benefits of new school resource officers assigned to protect schools. COPS also provides school safety training for the officers and an administrator from the school where the officers will be assigned.

“This grant is good news for the citizens of Pierce County,” Smith said. “By incorporating instruction on terrorism prevention and emergency response, this grant underscores the critical role of schools in community preparedness and disaster response.”

In addition to the COPS In Schools funding, $300,000 was granted to the City of Fife by the COPS Universal Hiring Program which will help law enforcement agencies pay the salary and benefits of additional officers who will perform community policing and homeland security activities. The program provides up to 75 percent of the total cost of salary and benefits of each new officer for three years, up to a maximum of $75,000 per officer.

“This funding helps make Pierce County a safer place for our citizens,” Smith said. “This grant will aid local law enforcement agencies in expanding their ranks and will act as a catalyst for further innovations in community policing.”

August26,2003

Today Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash) announced that Lars Anderson will be taking over from Katharine Lister as Communication Director beginning in September.

Several years ago, Anderson served as McChord’s public information officer and as a member of Smith’s committee to select candidates for the military academies. Since leaving McChord, he has served as the Chief of Media Relations for the Secretary of the Air Force, a NATO spokesperson in Sarajevo, and currently is working as a Senior Account Executive at Fleishman Hillard. Anderson is from Lacey, WA. He graduated from the Air Force Academy.

Lister is leaving Smith’s office to serve as the Communications Director for Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll of Pennsylvania. Her last day will be August 28, 2003.

Please note that after the 28th all press calls through September 4 should be directed to Alixandria Wade, Chief of Staff, at (202) 225-8901 or (202) 225-6901 (cell).

August15,2003

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will spend the day with seniors and members of the medical community to discuss his bill to restore equity to the nation’s Medicare reimbursement rates and current issues in Medicare policy on Tuesday, August 19th.

Smith has introduced legislation this year to address the inequities of our nation’s Medicare reimbursement rates with H.R. 2904 the “MediFAIR Act of 2003” and to deliver affordable, universal prescription drug coverage for all seniors in H.R.1568, “the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003.” Smith will discuss these bills, as well as competing prescription drug bills recently passed by the House and Senate at the forum.

Smith has said recently that he “strongly believe(s) that we need a long-term solution to our Medicare problem. We have to face the reality of our two big health care problems: health care inflation is rising quickly, and, as the baby boomers retire, we’ll have an enormous influx of seniors into the program. We need fundamental reform that focuses on healthy outcomes, gives seniors health care options, provides coverage for prescription drugs, and ensures the program is viable for future generations.”

Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend these meetings. For further information or to speak with Smith during the day, please contact Katharine Lister at (202) 226-8454.

8:00am - 8:30am Congressman Adam Smith visits with staff from the Renal Care Group NW/Lacey Kidney Center to discuss current issues in the health profession and concerns about Medicare reimbursement rates.

9:30am - 10:30am Congressman Adam Smith will tour St. Francis Hospital and hold a conversation over breakfast with managers of the facility.

Where: St. Francis Hospital
34515 9th Ave. S., Federal Way

12:00pm - 1:00pm Address to the Tacoma chapter of National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE).

Where: Tacoma AMVETS Hall
5717 South Tyler Street, Tacoma

1:30pm - 2:30pm Congressman Adam Smith will convene the quarterly meeting of his Senior Advisory Board to discuss their concerns about current legislation in Congress, the state of health care in Washington and what steps should be taken to ensure that seniors are treated fairly and with respect.

August7,2003

This Friday, August 8, 2003, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will don a uniform and ride along with a United Parcel Service (UPS) driver, delivering packages to local businesses. Smith will first arrive at the UPS Tukwila Facility where he will talk to UPS drivers, District Manager Tom Campbell, Division Manager Dick Adams, and Director of Human Resources Jeff Wilson. He will leave the Tukwila facility at 8:30a.m. and accompany a driver in making deliveries until 9:30 a.m.

This won’t be the first time Smith has worn the UPS uniform: Smith worked his way through college loading trucks for UPS.

Congressman Smith will make the following stops as part of the ride-along: